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Background: Microbial Translocation (MT) and altered gut microbiota are involved in immune activation and inflammation, whereas immune checkpoint proteins play an important role in maintaining immune self-tolerance and preventing excessive immune activation., Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between plasma phage load and immune homeostasis in people living with HIV(PLWH)., Methods: We recruited 15 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive patients, 23 ART-treated (AT) patients, and 34 Healthy Participants (HP) to explore the relationship between the plasma phage load and immune checkpoint proteins. The Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) load of the lambda (λ) phage was detected using fluorescence quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The Immune Checkpoints (ICPs) were detected using multiplex immunoassay., Results: Our study demonstrated that the plasma phage load was increased in people living with HIV (PLWH) (P<0.05), but not in the ART-naive and AT groups (P>0.05). Plasma ICPs, including cluster of differentiation 27 (CD27), soluble glucocorticoid-induced Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) receptor (sGITR), soluble cluster of differentiation 80 (sCD80), sCD86, soluble glucocorticoidinduced TNF receptor-related ligand (sGITRL), soluble induced T-cell Costimulatory (sICOS), sCD40, soluble toll-like receptor 2 (sTLR2), and sCD28, were markedly decreased among the ARTnaive group (P<0.05) but not in the AT and HP groups (P>0.05). The plasma phage load was positively correlated with ICP and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in PLWH (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Our study indicated that the plasma phage load in PLWH was positively related to the expression of ICPs and inflammation, which may be used as a promising marker for the immune level of PLWH., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objective: Explore the relationship between the HLA-G 14bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and the infection of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) for children., Methods: We genotyped HLA-G 14bp insertion/deletion polymorphism of 125 severe HFMD children infected with EV71 and 133 normal controls by PCR-PAGE;detected the plasma sHLA-G level of 66 heavy type and 15 critical type and 133 normal controls by ELISA., Results: Frequencies of the genotype 14 bp - / - ,14 bp + / - and 14 bp + / + were 49.6% , 42.4% and 8.0% for the severe HFMD children infected with EV71, and 34.6%, 48.9% and 16.5% for the normal controls, respectively. A significant difference was observed for the frequencies of the HLA-G 14bp genotype between the two groups(chi2 = 7.850, P = 0.020). And for the allele frequencies. The plasma sHLA-G levels in heavy type were dramatically higher than that in normal controls (Z = -9.692, P = 0.000). The plasma sHLA-G levels in children with critical HFMD were dramatically higher than that with heavy type (Z = -2.420, P = 0.016)., Conclusion: There was a relationship between the HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and the susceptibility to the severe HFMD children infected with EV71 and the plasma sHLA-G might be considered as a index for auxiliary diagnosis the severe HFMD infected with EV71.

Objective: A Real-time PCR method was established to study the infection of adenovirus (Ad) in infants with sporadic diarrhea in Wenzhou., Methods: According to hexon gene of adenovirus, one prime pair was designed as universal primes and applied to detect adenovirus DNA by Real-time PCR. It was also compared with immunochromatographic assay. 157 fecal specimens from diarrhea infants were tested while positive specimens were sequenced and identified by isolate culture and restriction endonucleases., Results: A rapid and specific Real-time PCR assay for detection adenovirus was set up. The positive rates of adenovirus in fecal specimens by immunochromatographic assay and Real-time PCR were 1.91% (3/157) and 3.18% (5/157), respectively. Out of the 154 specimens with negative result from immunochromatographic assay, 2 showed positive by Real-time PCR. 5 positive specimens, identified by Real-time PCR, were sequenced as Ad3 (3/157, 1.91% ) and Ad7 (2/157, 1.27%). 2 of the 5 positive specimens were proved to be Ad3 by cell culture and restriction endonucleases., Conclusion: Real-time PCR combined with sequence analysis seemed more sensitive and specific so could be used for identifying types of adenovirus in clinical specimens. Ad3 and Ad7 were important pathogens which caused infant sporadic diarrhea in Wenzhou during February and April in 2008.

Objective: To recognize the clinical features of the enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection with pulmonary edema or pulmonary hemorrhage as a fulminant and often fatal illness., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the three cases with EV71 infection for clinical manifestation, laboratory data, medications, outcome etc., Results: All the cases were infants and they all died. These infants had no skin or mucosal lesions, however, they had sudden onset of cyanosis and tachypnea 1 to 2 days after the onset of the febrile disease with vomiting. All these 3 cases were misdiagnosed and were treated for shock on admission. Pulmonary hemorrhage was not considered in any of the cases on admission. All the cases received tracheal intubation when foamy secretions were discharged from mouth and nose of the patients and notable cyanosis was noted. After intubation, all had pink foamy fluid flew out from the endotracheal tube. The patients had hyperglycemia and limb weakness, two had tachycardia, and hypertension was found in one case. Chest X-ray showed bilateral or unilateral widespread air space opacity, but the cardiac size and shape were normal. All the patients had leucocytosis. EV71 infection was confirmed by detection of specific sequences of the virus in throat swab and tracheal secretions samples and in one case in cerebrospinal fluid sample., Conclusion: Pulmonary edema or pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in the 3 cases with EV71-infected infants. The initial presentation was often nonspecific with fever and vomiting, and sudden appearances of cyanosis, tachypnea, tachycardia, hypertension or hypotension, limb weakness may suggest pulmonary edema or hemorrhage. Excessive fluid resuscitation may deteriorate the illness, on the contrary, fluid restriction and inotropic agents, and early intubation with positive pressure mechanical ventilation may be the proper treatment.

Objective: To investigate the value of multislice spiral CT (MSCT) coronary angiography in the diagnosis of anomalous origin of coronary arteries., Methods: 5000 patients diagnosed or suspected as with diseases of coronary artery underwent MSCT coronary angiography (retrospectively ECG-gating; 0.5 s rotation; one-sector or two-sector reconstruction algorithm; intravenous contrast agent) 2001-2005., Results: Anomalous origin of coronary artery was incidentally found with multislice spiral CT in 39 patients (0.78%), including anomalously high origin of the right coronary artery (n = 20), anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from left coronary sinus (n = 11), aberrant circumflex artery arises from the right coronary sinus or right coronary (n = 3), anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the posterior coronary sinus (n = 1), anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the posterior coronary sinus (n = 1), single coronary artery (n = 2), separate origin of circumflex and left anterior descending arteries from left coronary sinus (n = 1). These signs were better shown by MSCT coronary angiography., Conclusion: MSCT coronary angiography is a useful adjunctive technique to invasive coronary angiography in the diagnosis of anomalous origin of coronary arteries.